1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic apparatus of the type which is controlled using a plurality of microcomputers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional electronic apparatus having microcomputers, built-in control programs and constant data are stored in a ROM fabricated on a substrate. The types of ROMs used in such an apparatus include an EPROM in which data can be rewritten electrically and the data stored in it are erasable using ultraviolet radiation, or a mask ROM in which data cannot be rewritten or erased.
When the built-in control programs stored in the ROM fail or when the specifications of the programs are to be changed, the EPROM or mask ROM must be replaced with a new one having the desired programs.
To overcome this drawback, supply of the built-in control programs and constant data from a memory card or a floppy disk has been considered, like the application programs of a personal computer. The control programs and constant data supplied from the memory card or the floppy disk are stored temporarily in a memory in which data can be written, such as a RAM, and are then executed.
However, in the aforementioned type of electronic apparatus having a plurality of microcomputers, means must be provided in each of the microcomputers for reading the control programs and constant data from the memory card or floppy disk into each individual microcomputer, thus increasing the overall size and production cost of the apparatus.